Trump finally gets his say as fraud case judge gives him five minutes to make closing argument
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Donald Trump personally berated the judge overseeing his $370million New York civil fraud trial after he was granted five minutes to make an unexpected, off-the-cuff closing argument.
The former president, 77, had been banned from speaking during Thursday’s court session after he would not agree to limitations preventing him from making a “campaign speech”.
But he was given a last-minute slot after Chrisopher Kise, his lawyer, asked Justice Arthur Engoron to reconsider.
The judge, who has butted heads with Mr Trump throughout the three-month trial, told him to stick to the facts of the case and pointedly began a five-minute timer on his phone.
The courtroom drama came hours after Nassau County Police responded to a bomb threat at Mr Engoron’s home.
Trump accuses judge of trying to ‘screw’ him
Mr Trump had earlier accused Mr Engoron of trying to “screw” him by refusing to let him speak during closing arguments.
Using his few moments in court, the former president again claimed he was a victim of a “political witch-hunt” and “political interference”.
“We have a situation where I’m an innocent man, I’ve been persecuted by someone who’s running for office. I have to go outside the bounds [of the case],” Mr Trump said from his seat at the defence table.
He also accused Letitia James, the attorney general who has brought the case, of “using” him in a bid to get herself re-elected.
The Republican frontrunner, who flew back to New York after holding a rally in Iowa, also claimed the statute being used against him was “vicious”.
“It doesn’t give me a jury, it takes away all my rights. This is no fraud, this is a fraud on me,” Mr Trump said.
‘Election interference’
Without wasting a second, Mr Trump went on to claim the case was “election interference” and was being brought by a woman “who hates Trump and doesn’t want me to get elected”.
He could not resist attacking Mr Engoron after he interjected to give the former president a one-minute warning.
“[You have] your own agenda, you can’t listen for more than one minute?”, a frustrated Mr Trump shot back. “This has been a persecution.”
Mr Engoron asked Mr Trump’s lawyer, Mr Kise, to step in, saying: “Mr Kise, please control your client.”
Finishing his remarks, Mr Trump again insisted: “I’ve done nothing wrong, they should pay me for what we’ve had to go through.”
After his comments, Mr Engoron told Mr Kise “this could’ve been done differently and you would’ve had a lot more time” if they had come to an agreement in advance.
The judge will now consider what, if any, penalties to impose on Mr Trump after ruling earlier in the civil trial that he and his company fraudulently manipulated property values. He is expected to issue a verdict in the coming weeks.
Ms James is seeking a $370 million penalty and a lifetime ban on Mr Trump from the state’s real-estate industry.
The attorney general’s office asserted during its closing arguments the Mr Trump “acted with intent” to fraudulently inflate his assets.
“The buck stopped with him,” lawyer Andrew Amer said. Mr Trump “clearly knew the statements were being used to get loans” and he was “certainly in the loop”, he said.
Security has been an issue throughout the months-long trial. Last year, Mr Engoron’s top staffer faced threats after Mr Trump claimed she was politically biased, prompting the judge to issue a gag order barring him from disparaging court staff.
Mr Trump has been fined a total of $15,000 for twice violating the order.
After his court appearance on Thursday, Mr Trump held a press conference in the lobby of his building at 40 Wall Street, during which he accused Ms James of being “a political hack” with a “serious Trump derangement syndrome”.
“We won this case already in the Court of Appeals,” Mr Trump said, adding that Mr Engoron “has been very, very slow to accept that opinion because that’s not the opinion that he wants”.
He said the case was “election interference” and a “conspiracy” to get Democrat Joe Biden re-elected.
“It’s like we’re a third-world country, a banana republic,” Mr Trump said.
He added that he planned to go to “all” of his upcoming trials and insisted he had done nothing wrong.
The trial is one of multiple criminal and civil cases the former president faces as he presses ahead with his campaign to return to the White House. He has denied any wrongdoing.
07:52 PM GMT
That's all for today
Thank you for following The Telegraph’s live coverage of Mr Trump’s New York fraud case.
07:51 PM GMT
Trump's financial statements were 'false' for a decade, says lawyer
Kevin Wallace, a lawyer for the attorney general’s office, has started his closing arguments, reports our US Correspondent Susie Coen from New York.
He said the defendants had again made the “same arguments” in court today.
“Valuations are subjective”, Mr Wallace said. “Donald Trump is rich. Banks like rich people.”
He claimed the defendants acted with intent by manipulating their financial statements. Mr Wallace also said Mr Trump’s financial statements were false every year between 2011 and 2021, by as much as $2.2billion.
07:49 PM GMT
Court back in session for attorney general's closing arguments
The court is back in session to hear the attorney general’s office’s closing arguments.
But Mr Trump appears to have skipped the afternoon session.
The former president got what he came for: he had his moment in the spotlight to claim he is a victim of “persecution” and “political interference”.
07:48 PM GMT
Trump and judge trade barbs
They may have been quick remarks, but Mr Trump had time to trade some more barbs with Judge Arthur Engoron, Susie Coen writes from inside the courtroom.
Mr Engoron gave Mr Trump a one minute warning, to which the former president fired back: “[You have] your own agenda, you can’t listen for more than one minute? This has been a persecution.”
Mr Engoron then told Chris Kise, Mr Trump’s lawyer: “Please control your client.”
Finishing his remarks, Mr Trump again insisted: “I’ve done nothing wrong, they should pay me for what we’ve had to go through.”
Mr Engoron told Mr Kise this “could’ve been done differently and you would’ve had a lot more time”. The court has now broken for lunch.
06:24 PM GMT
'Fraud is on me,' Trump argues
Mr Trump said his “financial statements were perfect” and the banks “were as happy as can be”, reports our US Correspondent Susie Coen from New York.
He said legal scholars had found the case “disgraceful” and claimed the statute being used was “vicious”.
“It doesn’t give me a jury, it takes away all my rights. This is no fraud, this is a fraud on me,” Mr Trump said.
He argued he was being “forced out” of New York.
“They don’t want me here”, the 77-year-old said, adding “they say lets get rid of Trump.”
Mr Trump claimed the case was “partially election interference” and was being brought by a woman “who hates Trump and doesn’t want me to get elected.”
06:09 PM GMT
Trump allowed to speak, says he is 'an innocent man'
Donald Trump addressed the court in his civil fraud trial after his lawyer Chris Kise asked Judge Arthur Engoron to reconsider his refusal to allow him to speak, Susie Coen writes from inside the courtroom.
Mr Engoron said he could have five minutes if he stuck to the facts of the case.
But Mr Trump used his time to rail against attorney general Letitia James who he accused of “using” him to get re-elected.
Mr Trump said nobody was defrauded and the case is a “political witch hunt”.
“We should receive damages for what they put this company through”, he said.
“I’m an innocent man, I’ve been persecuted by someone who’s running for office”, Mr Trump added, claiming he had to “go outside” the restrictions put on him by Mr Engoron.
06:01 PM GMT
Watch: Trump denounces 'out of control' civil case
05:58 PM GMT
Pro-Trump supporter blasts 'unconstitutional' case
A Donald Trump supporter queued up to sit in the public gallery to watch the court’s proceedings earlier this morning, reports our US Correspondent Susie Coen from New York.
As she left the courtroom she berated the pen of photographers assembled, saying the case was “unconstitutional”, before she was moved along by police officers.
05:50 PM GMT
Trump's 'genius' passed to his sons, says Eric and Don Jnr's lawyer
The court is now hearing from Clifford S Robert, a lawyer for Mr Trump’s sons Eric and Don Jnr.
He said no witness has said either of his clients had “anything more than peripheral involvement” in the company’s annual financial statements.
Mr Robert then started praising the “genius” of their father, which he said was passed down to his sons, who took the reins of the company.
“To say we’re going to take away these rights and that’s it, is offensive sir”, he said.
05:48 PM GMT
Trump addresses reporters during pause in proceedings
05:46 PM GMT
Trump's lawyer hits out at 'Starbucks drinking' attorney general's 'agenda'
Alina Habba has ramped up her attacks on attorney general Letitia James, reports our US Correspondent Susie Coen from New York.
Mr Trump’s lawyer, who has been pacing around in front of the bench and gesticulating, told the court we are “all here to fit one person’s agenda”
Turning around and pointing at Ms James, who is sitting on the front row at the right of the court, she said: “we are all here because of that”.
She then started talking about how she came into the courtroom on a previous occasion to see Ms James with her shoes off and a Starbucks coffee.
Mr Engoron again interjected and told her to stick to the facts of the case.
Finishing her closing remarks, Ms Habba said: “There has been no fraud” and described real estate as an “art”.
05:34 PM GMT
Trump banned from making closing argument
While the court hears from Mr Trump’s defence lawyers, the former president has been banned from making a closing argument at his $370million civil fraud trial.
Judge Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing the case, agreed Mr Trump could speak during Thursday’s Manhattan court session, but set out a series of conditions on what he could say.
Mr Trump’s lawyer’s resisted the limitations and did not respond before the deadline.
Mr Engoron also rejected Mr Trump’s request for closing arguments to be postponed by three weeks because his mother-in-law had died.
Read more here.
05:31 PM GMT
Trump's lawyer says judge being 'dragged through a political agenda'
Alina Habba is much more animated than her colleague Chris Kise, who could at times be difficult to hear, Susie Coen writes from inside the courtroom.
Appearing to enjoy the theatre of the courtroom, she attacked New York attorney general Letitia James and the case against her client.
“You are now being dragged through a political agenda,” Ms Habba told Judge Arthur Engoron.
Mr Engoron later reminded Ms Habba to stick to the “facts” of the case, to which she said “these are the facts”.
“If the Trump Organisation, if Donald Trump, if his employees want to commit fraud why would they select Deutsche Bank, Zurich Insurance?” Ms Habba said, arguing that they are “sophisticated” and “highly regulated” organisations.
She said there is “no evidence” of fraud.
05:22 PM GMT
Hearing restarts after brief pause
The court is back in session after a short break.
Alina Habba, Mr Trump’s other lawyer is presenting her closing arguments.
05:13 PM GMT
Trial 'not just about president Trump', says former president's lawyer
Chris Kise has said Judge Arthur Engoron’s decision is “not just about president Trump”, reports our US Correspondent Susie Coen from New York.
“What you do, judge, impacts every corporation in New York,” Mr Trump’s lawyer said as he rounded off his closing remarks. He accused attorney general Letitia James of seeking “limitless power”.
“You just cannot allow the attorney general to pursue a victimless fraud and impose the corporate death penalty,” Mr Kise said, before urging the judge to rule in their favour on all accounts.
The court is now taking a 15 minute break, after which we will hear from Mr Trump’s other lawyer, Alina Habba.
05:09 PM GMT
Arthur Engoron, the New York judge overseeing Trump's civil fraud case
05:03 PM GMT
Don't deny New York institutions the opportunity to work with Trump, lawyer demands
Mr Trump’s lawyer asked Judge Arthur Engoron to “think about the ramifications” of potentially banning the former president from doing business in New York, Susie Coen writes from inside the courtroom.
Chris Kise said such a ruling would not only impact Mr Trump, but also “deny New York financial institutions” the opportunity of working with him.
He added it would be an “exceptional unconstitutional burden”.
04:53 PM GMT
Case against former president 'insane', says lawyer
Mr Trump’s lawyer has branded the civil fraud case as “insane”, reports our US Correspondent Susie Coen from New York.
“Rather than praising president Trump as a business success, we have an attorney general coming after him,” Chris Kise said, adding that Mr Trump had “developed” New York City.
04:52 PM GMT
Trump's lawyer clashes with judge over 'ill gotten gains'
Judge Arthur Engoron and Chris Kise, Mr Trump’s lawyer, have disagreed about the use of “ill gotten gains”
Mr Engoron said the pair had “butted heads on this for a while”.
The judge said while Mr Kise has been speaking about “damage” and “harm”, it is not a prerequisite for “ill gotten gains”.
“There has to be evidence but there does not have to be evidence of harm”, he said.
Mr Trump’s lawyer disagreed. He said you have to demonstrate there was “some harm”.
04:50 PM GMT
Protesters chant support for Attorney General Letitia James
04:47 PM GMT
Who is Arthur Engoron, the New York judge taking on Donald Trump?
The man charged with ruling on Donald Trump’s property empire is no stranger to court battles with the former president.
Since Arthur Engoron began presiding over cases linked to Mr Trump in 2020, he has forced him to sit for a deposition, held him in contempt of court and fined him more than $100,000.
Their running battle has given rise to a bitter enmity between the two men. Mr Trump has called him “unhinged” and “deranged”, and a “political hack”, while Mr Engoron has used official rulings to mock the former president using pop culture references.
Read more here.
04:42 PM GMT
Trump's relationship with bank 'went all the way to the chairman', says lawyer
Mr Trump’s lawyer has been talking about the former president’s relationship with the Deutsche Bank, Susie Coen writes from inside the courtroom.
The 77-year-old was “in the private wealth group” and he was “overqualified”, Chris Kise said.
With regards to Mr Trump’s statement of financial condition, which the attorney general’s office has argued was fraudulently inflated, Mr Kise said it was “stupid” to think a bank would lend to someone based on a “piece of paper”.
“This relationship went all the way to the chairman of Deutsche Bank”, Mr Kise said.
He added that there is no record of “ill gotten gains”.
04:40 PM GMT
All the charges Donald Trump faces – and what happens next
Donald Trump’s bid for reelection to the White House has been beset by legal difficulties, with the former president facing 91 felony charges across four criminal cases and two civil lawsuits that threaten huge fines.
He is the first former president to face a criminal trial after leaving office, and has faced off against a special federal prosecutor appointed solely to bring cases against him.
Mr Trump — a property tycoon who is no stranger to the courtroom — has used the cases as a campaign tool, telling his followers that they are an attempt to discredit his brand of “MAGA” Republicanism and block his path to power.
Read more about the legal challenges facing the 77-year-old here.
04:36 PM GMT
Trump's lawyer takes aim at 'speculative' fine sought by attorney general
Mr Trump’s lawyer has hit out at the $370 million figure the attorney general argues the former president must pay for allegedly manipulating the value of his properties to win better financing terms.
Chris Kise dismissed the sum as “speculation.”
04:31 PM GMT
Michael Cohen: Trump’s former ‘fixer’ turned archnemesis
04:19 PM GMT
Trump 'appears subdued' as closing arguments proceed
Mr Trump has appeared subdued during this morning’s court session, reports our US Correspondent Susie Coen from New York.
Usually, the Republican frontrunner appears visibly frustrated when Mr Engoron interrupts his lawyers, but he has remained quietly hunched over his desk for most of today.
Splitting his time between campaigning and dealing with his crammed legal schedule may be taking its toll.
So far this week he has appeared in court in Washington DC, on stage at a town hall in Iowa and now in a Manhattan courtroom.
04:17 PM GMT
Michael Cohen 'hates president Trump', says lawyer
Mr Kise has continued to tear into Mr Trump’s former ‘fixer’ Michael Cohen, who he claims is attorney general Letitia James’s only witness, Susie Coen writes from inside the courtroom.
He said Ms James stood outside the court on the day Mr Cohen testified and said he was not their “main witness”.
“She was right”, he said. “He’s her only witness, they don’t have anyone else”.
He branded Mr Cohen a “serial liar” before using a lower voice to imitate Mr Cohen taking the stand.
“We have an individual who comes into the court and lies in front of you”, Mr Kise said.
“He hates president Trump… he generates money trashing president Trump”, he told the court.
04:12 PM GMT
Trump's lawyer targets former 'fixer' Michael Cohen
Mr Trump’s lawyer has turned his focus on Michael Cohen, the Republican frontrunner’s former ‘fixer’, claiming he is the only witness supporting the idea that the 77-year-old committed fraud.
“They don’t have anybody else,” Mr Kise said, accusing the Attorney General’s office of putting the judge in the uncomfortable position of having to find Mr Cohen credible.
For a decade, Mr Cohen served as Mr Trump’s lawyer and backroom fixer, working, in his own words, to cover up his ex-boss’s “dirty deeds”.
But since becoming mired in legal trouble of his own, Mr Trump’s one-time ally has transformed from archdefender to archnemesis.
03:54 PM GMT
Case against Trump 'doesn’t even make common sense', says lawyer
Chris Kise has claimed the attorney general’s case “doesn’t even make common sense” and does not “explain motive”, Susie Coen writes from inside the courtroom.
He has said Mr Trump is a “whale client” for a bank and “one of 10 or 25 people in the world that the bank wants to welcome through its doors”.
He said not only is Mr Trump “in the door… they rolled out the red carpet and they’re dragging the president through the door”.
03:49 PM GMT
Chris Kise speaks of Mr Trump’s real estate experience
During his closing statements, Chris Kise has been hamming up Mr Trump’s experience in the real estate world.
“President Trump is an industry expert,” he said, before describing how he has been shaping the industry “around the world for over 50 years”.
Mr Engoron interjected, saying he remembers he did not “deem him” an industry expert.
“You did not,” Mr Kise said, before saying that someone with his expertise is an expert and that “few people in the world” have succeeded in the industry as Mr Trump has.
03:42 PM GMT
Watch: Trump comments ahead of closing arguments
03:33 PM GMT
Penalties would 'impose the corporate death penalty' on the Trump Organisation
Chris Kise said the penalties the Attorney General is seeking would “impose the corporate death penalty” on the Trump Organisation, Susie Coen writes from inside the courtroom.
Mr Kise, who is representing Mr Trump, has continued to claim the case against his client is without foundation.
“The court must have actual evidence... to support the findings”, he said.
03:20 PM GMT
Defence kicks off closing arguments
The defence has kicked off today’s closing arguments, with Chris Kise immediately making a pointed remark that his “clients don’t have a jury”.
He accused the Attorney General’s office of trying to “strip them of everything” and of trying to “pursue a political agenda”.
He went on to list how “not one witness” has claimed there was fraud, other than Michael Cohen.
He said the case amounted to “press releases and posturing but no proof at all”.
“There was no wrongdoing here,” he said.
03:12 PM GMT
Judge Arthur Engoron arrives
Judge Arthur Engoron has arrived and the court is now in session.
Mr Engoron appeared in good spirits, having made several jokes within minutes of entering the courtroom.
“I see the usual mixture of anticipation and dread out there, trust me this will be pain-free,” he quipped, ahead of photographers taking a press photograph of Mr Trump.
03:11 PM GMT
Trump still 'hoping to speak'
Donald Trump told reporters that Judge Arthur Engoron’s rejection of his request to speak during closing arguments is because he will “say things he doesn’t want to hear”.
“I am hoping to speak to help my lawyers reveal all the defects of this case,” he said.
“We’ll see whether or not the judge allows me to speak, perhaps he won’t but I certainly would like to.”
03:07 PM GMT
Eric Trump arrives
Donald Trump’s son Eric Trump has arrived at the court and is sitting beside Boris Epshteyn, a long-time lawyer and Trump advisor.
Eric is one of the named defendants in the lawsuit.
03:05 PM GMT
Trump enters courtroom
Donald Trump walked into courtroom 300 at two minutes to 10am Eastern time (2.58pm GMT) wearing his trademark navy blue suit and red tie, reports our US Correspondent Susie Coen from New York.
He is sitting at the front of the court flanked by his lawyers Alina Habba and Chris Kise.
The courtroom is packed, with journalists, lawyers and members of the public filling up nearly all the wooden and brown leather benches.
03:03 PM GMT
Case 'should never have been brought', says Trump
Donald Trump told reporters at the court that the case against him “should never have been brought”.
He said that his legal team has a “level of detail in our defence” that has not been seen before.
Mr Trump added that Attorney General Letitia James has been “dreaming about getting [him] for years”.
02:58 PM GMT
Donald Trump speaks to reporters
Donald Trump made a statement to reporters at the court, calling the trial “political interference”.
We will bring you more of his comments shortly.
02:39 PM GMT
Pictured: Trump arrives
02:37 PM GMT
Donald Trump arrives at courthouse
Donald Trump has arrived at the courthouse via motorcade.
The former president arrived shortly after New York Attorney General Letitia James.
02:37 PM GMT
The case explained
Donald Trump, his two adult sons and the Trump Organisation face accusations that they massively inflated the value of their properties in an effort to secure favourable loans.
Prosecutors say Mr Trump, Donald Jr and Eric overinflated the value by more than $2bn (£1.65bn).
Judge Arthur Engoron has already ruled that Mr Trump misrepresented his wealth by millions.
The ruling said that Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida was overvalued by 2,300 per cent in one financial statement, while the Trump Tower in Manhattan was presented as three times its actual size.
Now, the trial is focusing on six other claims made in the lawsuit,
They include accusations of falsifying business records, insurance fraud and conspiracy.
Prosecutors have argued that the defendants falsified the records for personal gain and were aware that the statements were false.
02:21 PM GMT
Participants begin to arrive
Those involved in the trial have started to arrive.
02:18 PM GMT
Donald Trump still aiming to present closing argument
Donald Trump is still aiming to present a portion of the closing argument in his trial today, according to his post on social media.
Mr Trump said on Truth Social that he “would like to personally do the closing argument” and called Judge Arthur Engoron’s efforts to prevent this “mean and nasty”.
Mr Engoron shared an email exchange in which Mr Trump’s lawyers previously declined to agree with the rules that Mr Engoron set for Mr Trump’s closing.
02:04 PM GMT
Judge receives bomb threat
The judge presiding over Donald Trump’s trial received a bomb threat at his home in New York this morning.
The court is now adding additional security in light of the threats against Arthur Engoron, according to court officials.
Nassau County Police bomb technicians responded to Engoron’s home following the threat.
It was determined to be unfounded and the court’s proceedings are expected to go ahead as planned.
02:01 PM GMT
Welcome to our live coverage
Welcome to our live coverage of Donald Trump’s trial in New York.
We will be guiding you through the closing arguments as the state’s attorney general seeks nearly $370 million in penalties from the former US president for overstating his net worth to banks.
